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Zuby Ejiofor delivered an early Christmas present to St. John's in the form of a buzzer-beating shot to keep the Red Storm's winning streak alive. St. John's (10-2) beat Providence at the horn back on Dec. 20 to win its fifth straight game and move to 2-0 in the Big East. Back on its campus in New York, St. John's will face Delaware on Saturday for one last tune-up before returning to conference action. In the Red Storm's first true road game of the season, Providence led most of the way before Ejiofor and RJ Luis Jr. steered the comeback. Ejiofor made a jumper in the lane in the final second to secure a 72-70 win. Coach Rick Pitino saw evidence that his team had grown from the start of the season. The Red Storm's two losses came on a double-overtime buzzer-beater against Baylor and by three points versus Georgia. "I think they're mentally maturing," Pitino told the New York Post. "Three weeks ago, with missing all those free throws, all those shots, we lose by 12 to 16 points. But they're maturing mentally and getting tougher because (that night) we didn't have it offensively, and they still found a way to win on the road in a tough environment." Ejiofor had 19 points and 10 rebounds for his fifth double-double of the season. On a team stacked with talent, he and Luis have been the main catalysts. Luis averages 17.0 points and 6.3 rebounds per game, and Ejiofor provides 14.6 points and a team-best 7.8 rebounds per contest. Ejiofor's game-winner came on an offensive board and second-chance look. "My philosophy is, and Coach says, every shot is essentially my rebound," Ejiofor said. "I have pride in getting my team a second chance, and that's exactly what I did." Delaware (7-5) has had a quiet month, with two of its three wins coming against non-Division I teams. But its other win in that time was a 93-80 romp against rival Delaware State on Dec. 3. That night, the Blue Hens shot a red-hot 17-of-31 from 3-point range. The 17 makes were one shy of tying the program record. Cavan Reilly (five 3-pointers) led them that night with 20 points, but three other starters also buried three triples. "That's what I envisioned out of this group," coach Martin Ingelsby told the Delaware News Journal, "to have multiple weapons." Delaware would love to rediscover that shooting touch. It made just 6 of 21 shots from deep in a 72-64 loss to Saint Peter's on Dec. 20. John Camden paces Delaware with 14.9 points and 4.9 rebounds per game. Four other players average double-figure scoring: Niels Lane (13.7), Reilly (12.9), Erik Timko (12.4) and Izaiah Pasha (10.7). --Field Level MediaGREENSBORO, N.C. (AP) — Ryan Forrest's 30 points led N.C. A&T over North Carolina Central 85-72 on Saturday. Forrest shot 12 of 18 from the field, including 2 for 4 from 3-point range, and went 4 for 7 from the line for the Aggies (4-10). Landon Glasper scored 25 points while going 7 of 17 from the floor, including 5 for 12 from 3-point range, and 6 for 6 from the line. Jahnathan Lamothe went 3 of 7 from the field (1 for 4 from 3-point range) to finish with nine points, while adding eight rebounds. The Aggies stopped an eight-game skid with the win. Po'Boigh King finished with 21 points for the Eagles (6-10). Keishon Porter added 11 points and seven rebounds for North Carolina Central. Dionte Johnson also recorded 11 points. N.C. A&T took the lead with 1:28 remaining in the first half and never looked back. The score was 46-39 at halftime, with Glasper racking up 18 points. Forrest scored 18 points in the second half to help lead the way as N.C. A&T went on to secure a victory, outscoring North Carolina Central by six points in the second half. NEXT UP Up next for N.C. A&T is a matchup Thursday with Elon at home. North Carolina Central hosts Saint Andrews (NC) on Tuesday. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .
As we approach 2025, the landscape of business operations is rapidly evolving, driven by new artificial intelligence (AI) automation trends. These innovations are not just incremental improvements; they represent fundamental shifts in how organizations function, interact with customers, and manage their resources. Understanding and using these trends is crucial for businesses aiming to stay competitive and efficient in an increasingly digital world. In this guide by Jono Catliff, explore seven pivotal AI automation trends that you simply can’t ignore as we approach 2025. So, if you’re ready to and embrace a future where efficiency meets innovation, read on to discover how these trends can be your secret weapon in the digital age to get a competitive edge. Life Cycle Automation streamlines client interactions by automating processes from inquiry to contract finalization, enhancing customer satisfaction and operational efficiency. AI in Automation is advancing with AI assistants handling tasks like email management, reducing human involvement in routine activities and refining business processes. AI-driven Document Processing automates data extraction and analysis, integrating seamlessly with systems to save time and reduce errors, making sure data accuracy. AI Chatbots are evolving to manage customer interactions and automate tasks like invoice dispatch, becoming central to customer service and operational efficiency. Robotic Process Automation (RPA) automates repetitive tasks, allowing human resources to focus on complex tasks, enhancing productivity and reducing errors. Life cycle automation is redefining how businesses manage client interactions from initial contact to long-term engagement. This comprehensive approach encompasses: Automated lead generation and qualification Personalized onboarding processes Intelligent contract management systems Proactive customer retention strategies By implementing life cycle automation, you can and focus on strategic initiatives. This shift not only enhances operational efficiency but also ensures a consistent, high-quality customer experience throughout the entire relationship. The result is improved customer satisfaction, increased loyalty, and more predictable revenue streams. Artificial Intelligence (AI) is at the forefront of automation, transforming routine tasks into intelligent, adaptive processes. AI assistants are now capable of: Managing complex email communications Coordinating intricate workflows across departments Providing data-driven insights for decision-making Predicting and preventing operational bottlenecks As AI technology continues to advance, expect to see even more sophisticated applications that can and optimize processes in real-time. This evolution will enable businesses to achieve unprecedented levels of efficiency and responsiveness. Below are more guides on automation from our extensive range of articles. The integration of AI in document processing is transforming how businesses handle information. This technology enables: Automated extraction of key data from various document types Intelligent categorization and filing of information Seamless integration with existing accounting and ERP systems Real-time data analysis and reporting By using AI-powered document processing, you can , minimize errors, and gain faster access to critical business information. This trend not only saves time but also enhances decision-making capabilities by providing accurate, up-to-date data at your fingertips. AI chatbots are evolving from simple query responders to sophisticated interfaces capable of managing complex customer interactions. These advanced chatbots can: Handle multi-step processes like invoice generation and dispatch Provide personalized product recommendations Offer real-time support across multiple channels Learn and adapt to customer preferences over time As AI technology progresses, chatbots will become increasingly , offering seamless, 24/7 customer service while significantly reducing operational costs. RPA is transforming how businesses handle repetitive tasks by deploying software robots to mimic human actions in digital environments. Key applications include: Automated data entry and validation Streamlined file management and organization Efficient processing of financial transactions Automated report generation and distribution By implementing RPA, you can for more complex, value-added tasks. This not only boosts productivity but also reduces errors and improves employee satisfaction by eliminating monotonous work. While automation drives efficiency, maintaining a human element remains crucial for brand identity and customer trust. Humanizing automation involves: Integrating human oversight in automated processes Making sure brand consistency in automated communications Providing options for human interaction when needed Using automation to enhance, not replace, human creativity By striking the right balance, you can while preserving the personal touch that builds lasting customer relationships. Hyper automation represents the pinnacle of automated business processes, combining various technologies into a cohesive, self-improving system. This trend encompasses: Integration of AI, machine learning, and RPA Continuous process optimization through data analysis Automated decision-making based on real-time insights Scalable automation across entire organizations By embracing hyper automation, businesses can achieve and adaptability, positioning themselves to thrive in rapidly changing market conditions. As we move towards 2025, these seven automation trends will continue to reshape the business landscape. By understanding and strategically implementing these innovations, you can position your organization at the forefront of efficiency, customer satisfaction, and competitive advantage. The key lies in not just adopting these technologies, but in integrating them thoughtfully into your business strategy to create a more agile, responsive, and successful enterprise. Media Credit:
For a man once deified by conservatives, the economist barely gets a look these days. The great advocate for the monetarism, shareholder capitalism and free trade that powered a generation of Conservative heroes — from Margaret Thatcher to Ronald Reagan — is now the avatar of a bygone era. The more populist incarnation of modern conservatism preaches from a different hymnbook. How did we get from the “greed is good” era of capitalism symbolized by Michael Douglas’ character Gordon Gekko in Oliver Stone’s movie “Wall Street,” to the rise of Donald Trump and his mercantilist views of the economy? It’s not that Trump has changed. The past and future President has been amazingly consistent in his view on issues like trade and the economy. When Douglas was hoisting his Oscar, Trump was taking out ads in newspapers during his first flirtation with the presidency that slammed Japan for taking advantage of the American security blanket to disadvantage the American working class on trade. “The gain from trade,” Not for Trump. Trump wants tariffs. Tariffs everywhere. Tariffs on all imports and twice on anything from China. Friedman would have called this “upside down” thinking. Now the world is upside down. And where America leads the world follows. The political energy is now with those who are deeply opposed to the neoliberal economic settlement promoted by Friedman and the politicians who trumpeted his views, a group that includes the so-called “third-way” politicians of the 1990s, i.e. liberals like Bill Clinton, Tony Blair and Jean Chretien, who kept to the free-market track as they pursued social spending. Trump’s reelection has prompted hand-wringing and introspection. Just where did things go wrong? Here, we must land on the correct answer, so landing on the correct diagnosis of the problems fueling the rise of current voter discontent becomes the crucial first step. And much of that discontent was seeded in the 1980s. Shareholder capitalism can be a wonderful thing — if you’re a shareholder. Most people aren’t. Free trade deals and a rising GDP tide, it turns out, do not lift all boats — not if you live in an area or work in an industry that has been usurped by cheaper jurisdictions or alternatives. Most people don’t live in the booming global cities powered by the trade in professional services. It’s no longer good enough for a politician to say it will all come out in the wash. The signal error from policymakers in the 1980s and beyond was to assume admitting China to the global trading architecture would make China look more like the world, and not the world more like China. Slave labour in places like Xinjiang produces cheaper goods than those produced by organized labour, but it’s only good for the world if you think price is everything. Cheap televisions and other goods are a boon to Western consumers, but less so if there is no longer a job to go to. And the distended supply chains that bring price efficiency can also become hostages to fortune as the COVID-19 pandemic proved when the disruption of global trade fueled the huge rise in inflation. To wit, the world now watches with angst as China threatens Taiwan, the outsized player in global chip manufacturing that powers our most advanced computing. Policy makers used to have to worry about securing prosperity for a village. Then it was a city. And then the country. Now policy makers have to worry about cushioning the increasingly-heavy blows of a global economy that greases the movement of both people and capital. This can be a boon to a country like Canada, if managed properly. The problem has been the mismanagement of the free flow of people and capital. The haves and the have-nots now live very different lives. A significant contributor to this mismanagement has been the disconnection between lawmakers and the people they represent. Most politicians fall into the “have” class, not the “have not.” Most of our representatives made out like bandits in the post-financial crisis era of free money as their stocks soared and assets inflated. And this success has made many of them blind to the forces roiling the advanced western democracies, a blindness made worse by the atomization of the information economy. But good luck putting people back on the same page. Trust in information is going, if not gone. Here, in part, we can thank shareholder capitalism. The powerful platforms of the Attention Economy — Meta, Google, Apple, Amazon — are some of the richest corporations in world history; they will not change on their own. The reason a man like Elon Musk now controls X/Twitter is because he offered the best return to the small cohort of humans who owned Twitter stock. As with so many of our babies of the 1980s, it’s not looking like a great deal now, is it?
CHARLOTTE Crosby has been left heartbroken following the death of her grandma. The reality star, 34, paid tribute to her dad’s mother, who passed away on Boxing Day – leaving the family bereft. Sharing a picture of them together with her daughter Alba, Charlotte shared: “We lost an amazing woman last night, kind, wonderful and the most loving family member. “Always incredibly proud of me and my achievements! And always the very first to boast about me. I will never forget how much she supported me so dearly! We will miss you so much, She loved little Alba so much!” Charlotte’s dad Gary revealed today would have been his mother’s birthday as he shared his own touching words about the loss. In a heartbreaking post, he wrote: “My Mam would have been 80 today, she passed away last night. “I’m swept away with grief and sadness. I was very close to my Mam, she was just the best Mam anyone could have. She loved Christmas and she made ours when we were kids so very special and memorable. "A kind, generous and gentle little lady. A mother, grandmother and great grandmother. Also a true friend to many that she knew. “She had problems in later life with terrible arthritis and challenging mental health , but she never lost her friendly smile and loving nature.” He added: “Mam, you were so much more than everything.” Charlotte's fresh heartbreak comes just weeks after her home was burgled which left the TV star terrified. The frightening ordeal occurred last month when Charlotte was upstairs with Alba in their £1 million Sunderland home. Her fiancé Jake, 33, revealed on social media that a gang of masked robbers armed with machetes stormed inside their stunning mansion. The TV personality, who is expecting her second child next month, was rushed to hospital shortly afterwards where it was revealed she had a urine infection.Wall Street turned volatile Friday as four days of gains give way to fresh selling pressure driven by investor uncertainty over the incoming Trump administration’s economic policies and the Federal Reserve’s path forward. Major indices experienced wide losses by midday trading in New York, nearly erasing prior gains seen earlier this week, clouding the outlook for a Santa Rally. The tech-heavy Nasdaq 100 tumbled 2%, on track for its second-worst session this month. Both the S&P 500 and the Dow saw notable losses, while small caps underperformed large-cap counterparts. On the data front, the U.S. goods trade deficit widened to $102.86 billion in November 2024, surpassing expectations of $100.7 billion, as imports jumped 4.5%, according to an advance official estimate. Treasury yields were little moved but remained elevated, with the long-dated 30-year yield hovering at the highest levels since May. In commodities markets, oil emerged by rising 1%, with West Texas Intermediate light crude topping $70 per barrel amid recent declines in in commercial crude inventories. In cryptocurrency markets Bitcoin BTC/USD dropped 1.7% to $94,000, heading for its second consecutive weekly loss— the first since September. Friday’s Performance In Major US Indices, ETFs Major Indices Price Chg 1-day % Dow Jones 42,739.03 -586.77 -1.4% S&P 500 5,934.68 -102.91 -1.7% Nasdaq 100 21,326.63 -441.68 -2.0% Russell 2000 2,226.71 -53.48 -2.3% According to Benzinga Pro data: The SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust SPY fell 1.6% to $591.61. The SPDR Dow Jones Industrial Average DIA eased 1.2% to $427.96. The tech-heavy Invesco QQQ Trust Series QQQ tumbled 2.1% to $518.58. The iShares Russell 2000 ETF IWM fell 2.3% to $220.55. The Energy Select Sector SPDR Fund XLE outperformed, flat for the day; the Technology Select Sector SPDR Fund XLK lagged, down 2.4%. Friday Stock Movers Tesla Inc. TSLA sank 4.8% as investors reassessed its valuation after a 73% year-to-date surge. Crypto-related stocks pulled back strongly: KULR Technology Group Inc. KULR tumbled 7.4%, MicroStrategy Inc. MSTR slipped 3.6% and Coinbase Global Inc. COIN fell 3.5%. Lamb Weston Holdings Inc . LW gained 3.6% after shareholder Jana Partners added Jeff Delapp to its board nominee slate, signaling a potential board overhaul, according to a Friday regulatory filing. Read Next: Airline Stocks Outperform Tech In 2024: Holiday Travel ‘Expected To See Records This Year’ Photo via Shutterstock. © 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.Chargers crush Patriots, clinch return to playoffs
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Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani and his wife, Mamiko Tanaka, are expecting their first child, the player announced Saturday. Ohtani, who set an MLB record this year before going on to win his first World Series title , made the announcement in a post to Instagram with the caption: "Can't wait for the little rookie to join our family soon!" Earlier this year, he became the first Major League Baseball player to hit 50 homers and steal 50 bases in a single season, solidifying his place in baseball history with the record-setting ball later selling for $4.4 million . That was just a little over a month before the Los Angeles Dodgers would face off with the New York Yankees in the Fall Classic. LA's victory in the series, complete with records set by Freddie Freeman and a historic comeback in the final game, was celebrated with the city's first Dodgers parade since 1988 . It was a whirlwind end to Ohtani's first season with the Dodgers, which started off with a $700 million contract announced in December 2023 — the most lucrative signing of an MLB player in the league's history. Tanaka, a professional basketball player, appeared alongside Ohtani in a post to social media earlier this year after the player revealed just weeks before that he's married . At the time, he didn't say who his spouse was but wrote of her affectionately. "Not only have I begun a new chapter in my career with the Dodgers but I also have (begun) a new life with someone from my native country of Japan who is very special to me and I wanted everyone to know I am now married," he posted to Instagram. Marissa Wenzke is a journalist based in Los Angeles. She has a bachelor's degree in political science from UC Santa Barbara and is a graduate of Columbia Journalism School.Your black plastic kitchen utensils aren’t so toxic after all. But you should still toss them, group says
Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani and his wife, Mamiko Tanaka, are expecting their first child, the player announced Saturday. Ohtani, who set an MLB record this year before going on to win his first World Series title , made the announcement in a post to Instagram with the caption: "Can't wait for the little rookie to join our family soon!" Earlier this year, he became the first Major League Baseball player to hit 50 homers and steal 50 bases in a single season, solidifying his place in baseball history with the record-setting ball later selling for $4.4 million . That was just a little over a month before the Los Angeles Dodgers would face off with the New York Yankees in the Fall Classic. LA's victory in the series, complete with records set by Freddie Freeman and a historic comeback in the final game, was celebrated with the city's first Dodgers parade since 1988 . It was a whirlwind end to Ohtani's first season with the Dodgers, which started off with a $700 million contract announced in December 2023 — the most lucrative signing of an MLB player in the league's history. Tanaka, a professional basketball player, appeared alongside Ohtani in a post to social media earlier this year after the player revealed just weeks before that he's married . At the time, he didn't say who his spouse was but wrote of her affectionately. "Not only have I begun a new chapter in my career with the Dodgers but I also have (begun) a new life with someone from my native country of Japan who is very special to me and I wanted everyone to know I am now married," he posted to Instagram. Marissa Wenzke is a journalist based in Los Angeles. She has a bachelor's degree in political science from UC Santa Barbara and is a graduate of Columbia Journalism School.
Ottawa city councillor concerned over sprung structure debate as protests continue